The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-10-04
THE CHURCH SUITS
The Answers Filed
In Court.
NOT MUCH COMFORT
To Be Derived By the
SOreheads
ANXIOUS FOR THE SPOILS.
The Church Dtsincorporated in
1S62-The p. e. Fund Company
Has No Property.

The following answers to the suit:
recently commenced under the pro-
visions of the Tucker Edmunds
Law, have been fled in the
Supreme Court OF the Territory.
1t is understood that this action was
taken in order to save time. They will
be found in full below, and will prove
not at all palatable to the soreheads
vino have been so anxious to pluck
what they have considered was q very
rich find:
In the Supreme Court of the Territory
of Utah:
United States of America, Plaintiff, VS..
The late corporation of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
John Taylor, late Trustee in-Trust,
and MILFORD Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow,
Erastas Snow, Franklin D. Richards,
Brigham Young, Moses Thatcher,
Francis NJ. Lyman, j ohm Henry Smith
George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant and
John w. Taylor, late assistan t
trustees, defendants.
Vow come the said defendants,
Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards,
Brigham Young, Moses ThnIcher'
Francis NJ. Lyman, John Henry Smith
Heber J. Grant and John w. Taylor.
and for their separate, jeint and several
answers to the bill of complaint OF
plaintiff
Deny that said defendant, the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, on
the 28th day of February, 1887, or at
any other period after July lst, 1862,
was known or existed as a CORPORATION.
Deny that the said John Taylor, on
or Immediately before the 10Th day of
February, 1887, was or ever had been
Trustee-in-Trust of said corporation :
or that said MILFORD Woodruff, Lorenzo
Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D..
Richards, Brigham Young, Moses
Thatcher, Francis d. Lyman, John
Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber
J. Grant and John w. Taylor, or either
of them were or ever had been assistant
trustees of said alleged corporation, the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
Defendants deny, that under or by
virtue of the said act of incorporation
set forth in paragraph one of plaintiff g
bill OF complaint, that said church did
Duy, acquire or hold large or any
amounts of real estate or personal
property, OF great or any value what
ever, IN the Territory of Utah, or else
where, after the first day of July, 1862
Defendants deny, that said alleged
defendant corporation owned or held
real estate OF the value of s., OOO 600 or
any other sum, CT personal estate of
81 900 900, or any other sum ,on the 18th
Qay OF February, 1887, or which said
defendants now, or at any other time,
in violation of the laws of the United
States or otherwise, still claim to holn
or own.
Defendants deny, that the alleged
corporation of the Church OF Jesus
Christ OF Latter-day Saints, from its
organization until the 10Th of February.
1887, was corporation for religious,
charitable or other purposes, or tpat
the said alleged church WIS, on the
date last aforesaid, corporation at all.
Defendants deny, that by virtue of
the third section of the Act of Congress
dated July lst. 1862. and re-enacted as
Section1S90 of the RevisedStatutes of the
United States, all or any corporations or
associations for religious or charitable
or especially the defendant
was forbidden to acquire or
hold real estate : in: any Territory.
during the existence of the Territorial |
government, OF greater value than $50 |
600. Deny that by said or any act of |
Congress said defendant corporation is |
limited in it's rights to acquire or hold |
real property in any amount.
Defendants deny, that of the real es
70 hal hry% h0
Church OF Jesus Christ of Latter-day |
Saints. on the 18th day of February, |
1887, more tnan $4,000 in value, or any
held since the lst day of July, 1862.
Deny, on information and belief, that
laid alleged corporation has any real
estate whatever.
Defendants deny, that by virtue OF
my premises in plant ff's bill of COM
1laint, or otherwise, the real estate re-
erred to and stated in paragraph four
If the complaint, which. on or before
he 18th day Of February, 1887, was
owned or held b. said alleged corpora
Ion, the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat
er-day Saints, was or is subject to es-
heat TO the United States.
Defendants deny, that on the 19,a
lay of February, 1887, the charter or
.ct of incorporation of the alleged cor
,oration, the Church of Jesus Christ OF
after day Saints, was disapproved,
epealed or annuled by the Congress of
he United States, or that the said al
eyed corporation was thereby dissolved.
)eny that all or any OF the real estate
wned or occupied by sad alleged cor ,
'oTatioG, in excess of $50 900, which was ,
lot. on the 18th day of February, 1887
eld or occupied 81 buildings or ground !
ppurtenaut thereto for the purpose OF !
be worship of God, or parsonage con !
ected Herewith, or burial ground, was
r is, subject to escheat to the United {
tates. =
Defendants deny, that the said al
'ged corporation, the Church of Jesus /
hrist of Latter-day Saints, or the sue .
essor of the said John Taylor as =
Trust, and MILFORD Wocd- i
1ff, Lorenzo Snow, Ersstus Snow. v
rankin D. Richards. Brigham Young II
loses Thatcher, Francis NJ. Lyman
ohm Henry Smith, George Teasdale' y
Ieber J. Grant and John w. Taylor r
ssistant trustees or otherwise, or G
ther or sny OF the said per O
ms or parties, wrongfully. or I